Bullying complaint reeks of enabling parents

Aledo coach questions if 91-0 rout could've been avoided

In this Aug. 31, 2013 photo, Aledo High School football coach Tim Buchanan watches from the sideline during the second half of a game against Highland Park, in Allen, Texas. A parent at a Texas high school that lost a football game 91-0 has filed a bullying complaint against the winning coach. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Aledo High School coach Buchanan learned of the online complaint against him Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013, the day after his team beat Western Hills in a 4A matchup. (AP Photo/The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Bob Booth) MAGS OUT; (FORT WORTH WEEKLY, 360 WEST)

In this Aug. 31, 2013 photo, Aledo High School football coach Tim Buchanan watches from the sideline during the second half of a game against Highland Park, in Allen, Texas. A parent at a Texas high school that lost a football game 91-0 has filed a bullying complaint against the winning coach. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Aledo High School coach Buchanan learned of the online complaint against him Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013, the day after his team beat Western Hills in a 4A matchup. (AP Photo/The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Bob Booth) MAGS OUT; (FORT WORTH WEEKLY, 360 WEST)

In this Oct. 18, 2013, photo, Aledo's Daythan Davis, left, runs past Western Hills Jacoby Powell (6) , and Desmond Mize as he races for a first down in the first quarter of a football game in Aledo, Texas. Aledo defeated Western Hills 91-0. A parent at Western Hills high school has filed a bullying complaint against the winning coach. (AP Photo/The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Bob Haynes) MAGS OUT; (FORT WORTH WEEKLY, 360 WEST)

In this Oct. 18, 2013, photo, Aledo High School player Ryan Newsom (17), runs between Western Hills players Shane Little, left, and Jacoby Powell during the first quarter of a football game in Aledo, Texas. Aledo defeated Western Hills 91-0. A parent at Western Hills high school has filed a bullying complaint against the winning coach. (AP Photo/The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Bob Haynes) MAGS OUT; (FORT WORTH WEEKLY, 360 WEST)

Just when I thought I’d seen it all in high school football ... this one goes in the category of shake-your-head-in-disbelief. By now I’m sure you all have heard about what happened in Aledo both over the weekend and on Monday. Oh, you can bet I was going to have an opinion on this one.

In case you missed it, the top-ranked team in the state, the Aledo Bearcats, annihilated another District 7-4A foe on Friday, Fort Worth Western Hills, 91-0. According to reports, Aledo coach Tim Buchanan, by all accounts a nice, respected stand-up guy and heck of a football coach, pulled his first-teamers off the field after 21 plays. The Bearcats ran just 32 plays total, scoring on 10 of them plus two punt returns and a fumble recovery.

And it wasn’t the first time the Bearcats had done this. The dominant dog (or cat in this case) in what is considered an ordinary district in Texas, Aledo is averaging 69.3 points per game and has won four district games by an average of 77 points.

Apparently, a parent at Western Hills got their feelings hurt about that. Not the kids. Not the coaches. A parent. One.

Using the form all schools are required to post on their website, a Western Hills parent filed a bullying complaint against Buchanan, saying he should have done more to keep the game from being so lopsided.

Heh?

Done more to keep the game from being so lopsided? What do you think he was doing yanking his starters after 21 plays? Is it Buchanan’s fault that his third-teamers can run circles around your son and the rest of the Cougars?

And now, by law, the principal at Aledo has to investigate this and prepare a report, which will be given to the Western Hills parent who filed the report. Oh, if I were that principal, some of the things I would put in that report.

You think Buchanan feels good about this? Think again.

“It wasn’t good for anybody,” Buchanan told The Associated Press. “I’ve sat and gone over and over and over it on what we could have done differently. The score could have very easily been 150 to nothing.”

And this is nothing on Western Hills coach John Naylor. The guy is doing the best he can in a school district where football isn’t supported very well.

Hey, parent. You want to keep this from happening again? Get involved with the booster club, raise some money, get support going for this program that fielded only 30 kids on Friday, where Aledo had, I’m guessing, about three times as many despite having fewer than 100 students enrolled than you.

As one who has watched his share of high school football, it’s easy to tell when games are going to be blowouts, and coaches now use that time to get backups and third-stringers into games to get them valuable time on a Friday night. You never know when they might be needed.

But if you think that any high school coach in this state would feel good about a 91-0, or a 63-0 score for that matter, then you haven’t been around high school coaches. You haven’t seen these guys interact off the field, at THSCA conventions. They all put in hard work, regardless of results or record or class. They are some of the most respected, and respectful, people on the planet and never have anything but the kids’ best interest at heart — even ones that aren’t their own.

This reeks of an overprotective, enabling parent that thinks little Johnny’s feelings are hurt because his are hurt. I guarantee little Johnny knew what was going to happen playing Aledo, and is probably mortified that his father did this. He’s going to catch more hell at school from his own friends about this than anything he got on the field on Friday.

But Johnny’s daddy couldn’t stand it, and so we have this.

Tell me again who the grown-up is in that household.

The picks

Coronado at Midland: Mathematically, the Mustangs have a sliver of hope, but not much. Let’s see how they react after last Friday’s loss. Midland 31, Coronado 28.

Lubbock High at San Angelo Lake View: See above, insert Westerners for Mustangs. San Angelo Lake View 28, Lubbock High 24.

Plainview at Monterey: Suddenly, this one has major playoff implications riding upon it. The winner will have a solid inside track for a top-three spot in the league. Monterey 35, Plainview 14.

Frenship at Hereford: While it’s true no team in the district has yet completely stopped Hereford, the same can be said for Frenship, and the Tigers have a better defense. Frenship 42, Hereford 21.

Seminole at Estacado (today): Look for the Matadors to bounce back nicely against a Seminole team struggling to score. Estacado 34, Seminole 13.

Levelland at Cooper: As long as the Pirates aren’t overlooking the Lobos, they should be fine. But this will be their stiffest district test to date. Cooper 36, Levelland 28.

Shallowater at Andrews: One of the best running backs in the state against a defense giving up 500 yards a game is not good for the defense. Shallowater 63, Andrews 14.

Roosevelt at Tulia: If the Eagles don’t find a way to turn it around, and quickly, it could be another disappointing year sitting at home. Roosevelt 24, Tulia 21.

Lockney at New Deal: The way things look, the Lions might not be greatly challenged until the second or third round of the playoffs. As long as they stay mentally straight. New Deal 56, Lockney 7.

Kennedale Fellowship at Lubbock Christian: The Eagles should pick up a win here, which would go a long way toward earning a playoff berth. LCHS 27, Kennedale Fellowship 13.

Last week: 7-1

Season: 55-12 (.821)

GEORGE WATSON is sports editor of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. He can be heard at 6 p.m. Wednesday’s on “The High School Experience” on KKAM 1340 AM.

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This is as bizarre as the Oregon Ducks assistant coach who got fined $5,000.00 by the NCAA for complaining about Mike Leach trying to win a game by leaving his starters in. Maybe we need rethink the purpose of football and other sports.

American football (high school). In 1927, Haven (Kan.) High School beat Sylvia (Kan.) High School 256-0 on Haven's home field. The game set numerous high school football records. I think Aledo Bearcats should be commended for not trying to set a new high school scoring record.